


Running from the Dark

by ozsia



Series: Pack [1]
Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Drabble, First Meetings, Gen, Minor Injuries, Pack Dynamics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-19 03:44:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13696179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ozsia/pseuds/ozsia
Summary: ‘So, you doin’ alright there buddy?’‘Fine,’ Kidou responds tensely though he attempts to be as passive as possible. Maybe they could just be - concerned bystanders? However unusual the two of them made as a pair; a lycan and a hunter.‘…you’re bleeding a lot for someone who's “fine”.'





	Running from the Dark

Yuuto is hurt and terrified; he's brave enough to admit that to himself as he desperately tries to regain his strength. He promised himself three minutes. Three minutes and then he has to move, to go - _somewhere_. The longer he's stationary the more likely they are to catch up with him. 

His wounds are vast and plentiful though individually they would be nothing, together he fears his will be the death of a thousand cuts. Yuuto's weakening and daylight's approaching. The chances of his capture or death is high and he doesn’t know which one he prefers. However futile, he refuses to make it easy for them.

Yuuto exhales slowly, looks down to his abdomen and the one stab wound that has quickly become a hindrance. It's already bled through the scarf he’s pressing against it, and he's so dizzy with how long it's been untreated that he's losing focus. If Haruna - but, no. She's safe. It's selfish to wish her into this predicament of his. Haruna's safe and - 

Yuuto takes another breath only to almost inhale his own tongue when his nostril fill with thistle, ylang ylang and burning ember; an altogether heady scent that aids in his disorientation. He tries to focus, concentrating on the approaching odour. Ember's a sign of mana. A sign of - 

_Lycan_. 

Yuuto’s stomach drops. He quickly scents the air and inhales the presence of what's undeniably a lycan and another, less notable smell: that of gunpowder and herbs, something usually associated with hunters and his fear grows. He has no way of defending himself, not to a lycan and definitely not to a hunter. He's a sitting _duck_ like this, useless and so very inferior. 

Yuuto’s heartbeat thumps traitorously against his breastbone and he attempts feebly to quieten himself, pushing himself further into the alley’s wall in the hope that he will stay unfound. There's only one way out in his condition, knowing already that he'll be unable to climb the chain-linked fence.

His eyes - exposed and venerable with the loss of his googles, stare at the entrance of the alley. He sees the instance when two figures appear. Yuuto holds the air inside his lung and curls into himself tighter, he can’t run and he can’t fight. He watches, though, refuses to look away. If he can seize a chance, then he’ll run.

‘Woah…’ the lycan murmurs, little more than a silhouette with the streetlight behind them. He's shorter than his companion, even with the ears. It's unusual, lycans are typically imposing figures. ‘I told you the blood was coming from this direction.’ 

The hunter sighs. ‘You seek out too much trouble.’ 

The lycan laughs, and doesn’t say anything in his own defence as they step further into the alley. Yuuto tries to disappear into the dustbins. ‘I didn’t see you complaining,’ the lycan teases but it just seems to make the hunter tense. 

The hunter clears his throat. ‘Mamoru.’

‘Right,’ the lycan says, voice booming as they both walk down the cluttered, dirty path in Yuuto's direction. It feels like his heart is going to burst as he watches their shadows draw nearer, footsteps getting louder. They stop just short of rounding the bins. He can see the toe of a worn boot. ‘So...you doin’ alright there, buddy?’ 

The question brings Yuuto up short. _How…am I doing?_

He swallows as he glances back to the wound he can’t quite stem. ‘Fine,’ he responds tensely though he attempts to be as passive as possible. Maybe they're just - what, concerned bystanders? However unusual the two of them make as a pair; a lycan and a hunter. Yuuto doesn’t even know if it's a positive at this point. 

‘…you’re bleeding a lot for someone who's “fine”,’ the lycan retorts but it’s a gentle thing. No, these strangers definitely aren’t with them. They wouldn’t bother with this subterfuge, especially after Yuuto had run from them - from _him_.

‘Everything’s fine, but I’d appreciate it if you were to leave,’ Yuuto asks because these strangers don’t need to be dragged into this. He didn’t need that on his conscience and if they didn’t disappear soon, Yuuto is sure the pair will run into them.

‘Well...we can,’ the lycan seems to assent though the hunter snorts.

‘ _Can_  we?’ the hunter asks doubtfully, like that's an impossibility. The lycan ignores him, which seems to give heed to the theory.

‘But, we sort of promised your sister that we’d find you.’ Yuuto stills and he starts to wonder if he has a concussion, after all.He hit his once or twice and he thought it’d been light, all things considered but maybe -

‘My sister?’ Yuuto asks over his heartbeat, staring wide-eyed at that one boot. 

The lycan awkwardly clears his throat. ‘Yeah, we were pretty surprised -’

Yuuto bursts out from behind the dustbins and tries not to wince as he pulls on his injuries. He doesn’t have the time to give it as he comes face-to-face with the two strangers; the lycan who's knelt down and the hunter, appearing to be standing guard over the creature’s shoulder. ‘My sister, Haruna?  _My sister?!’_

Round golden eyes blink at him. ‘Yeah, Otonashi’s kind of become pack,’ the lycan admits as he rubs the back of his head, dislodging his orange headband as his dark ears twitch on top of his head. ‘She Saw you in trouble and became really worried, so I said I’d come get you.’ 

This lycan’s face is incredibly sincere and open to Yuuto’s scrutiny. They aren’t full siblings which is part of the problem when Social Services got involved after their parents' murder. They don't share blood that would be expected. ‘But…she must have told you that I’m -’

‘A dhampir,’ the lycan finishes like that's perfectly acceptable to him…for how unbothered he sounds, it might just as well be. Which is more than just odd, it's _unimaginable_. 'Yeah, she mentioned but I’ve never really cared about, um…’ 

‘Politics,’ the hunter suggests to which the lycan nods. Like they were discussing the weather. Who the hell has Haruna fallen in with? Yuuto tried to keep himself as ignorant as possible, to keep his distance, but now he wishes he asked more questions, that he allowed her to tell him _anything_ so that _this_ would make sense. 

‘I can like who I want to like and help who I want to help,’ the lycan proclaims with a stubbornness that shines in his eyes like fire. But that's the point, isn’t it? Dhampir and lycan are feuding; they _didn’t_ “like” each other and help between the two races is unthinkable. 'Besides, you’re Otonashi’s brother.’

‘Haruna’s a witch.’ Witches were at least considered human - and didn’t tend to have bad blood with any race, but that good fortune often bred ugly feelings. Yuuto’s statement is met with shrugs and he’s starting to wonder what kind of pack this lycan has made, to be so unbothered by what his pack members he takes in _are_. 

The lycan laughs. ‘She’s pretty talented,’ he says like that’s all that matters, missing Yuuto’s point entirely. Maybe they’ve already gotten to him and he's unconscious - it’d make more sense than what he's trying to wrap his mind around. 

The hunter clears his throat. ‘Maybe you should tell him Otonashi’s message?’ 

The lycan blinks before readdressing Yuuto with a kind grin. ‘Oh, right. She said to tell you not to be stubborn about this, that you’ll be fine with us if you stop trying to do everything by yourself. She’s - er, really worried about you.’ The lycan uses one of his clawed fingers to scratch his cheek awkwardly.

The hunter elbows the lycan in the side. ' _And..._ '

The prompt has the lycan flinching before his face lights with realisation. 'Oh! Right...sorry.' The lycan readdress Yuuto with shining eyes. 'Otonashi also said...that "moonshine points you home."'

Yuuto blows out a breath, startled but relieved as their family's old saying is repeated; something they could never know if Haruna had not told them. 

The hunter inclines his head. 'She said you'd know what that means.' 

'She really is worried,' the lycan adds.

Yuuto slumps forward. Of course she is, that's to be expected even if they hadn’t properly talked in months, and the last time they saw each other they were children. ‘This is - a dangerous situation.’ 

The lycan huffs. ‘Don’t care.’ He offers his hand - rough skin, large palm, long fingers, and it is open to Yuuto. An invitation that he' free to take.

...or not. 

‘C’mon, let us help.’ 

Yuuto stares, cannot help how he falters under the weight of the knowledge that his sister has sent her - pack, to him or that this lycan is agreeable enough to offer it on the back of so little. It's absolutely ridiculous, who _did_ this? 

‘It’ll get better,’ the hunter promises after Yuuto hesitates for moments too long. He has dark eyes - darker still in the lowlights of the alley and platinum hair, seemingly as young as the lycan and appearing just as soft. He speaks as if to say, " _I’ve been where you are"._ Yuuto doesn’t know how to take any of this. 

Yuuto swallows thickly. ‘You have no idea what you’re getting involved with,’ he states uneasily. 

The lycan’s expression, if at all possible, becomes that much more gentle. ‘I can tell enough.’ 

And Yuuto really cannot help the compulsion to take the lycan's hand. 


End file.
